Senior Does Hands-On Research

Using a Nikon Eclipse E200 photomicroscope, Rebecca Drooger examines a stained histological sample from the anterior prostate of a mouse.Photos by Matt Styer

Doing research on mice prostates may not be every student’s first choice of a special endeavor, but it proved rewarding in several ways for a recent EMU biology graduate.

“When I came to EMU, I hoped to be part of some intensive, faculty-supported research during my undergrad years,” says Rebecca J. Drooger. “Collecting and analyzing data over a two-year period has been an amazing learning experience and was especially exciting when I found statistically significant results from my data on the prostate,” she adds.

Her research studied the responses of the young adult mouse prostate to neonatal phytoestrogen exposure. Drooger describes it as studying the effect of “chemicals produced by plants that are similar in structure to human estrogen,” such as that found in soy-based products, on young mice.

The results could have implications for cancer studies that consider whether a diet high in such products has an impact on the advancement of prostate cancer.

‘Best Research’ in 25 Years

“Rebecca’s consistency, keen insights, dedication, dependability, and hard work were exemplary,” Dr. Miller says of the work she spearheaded, together with three other students.

Drooger came to EMU on an honors scholarship and majored in biology with minors in Spanish and chemistry. At the university’s 89th commencement Apr. 29, she graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree.

This summer she plans to study for and take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), apply to medical schools, work at Harvard University’s library and travel to Nazareth, Israel under the auspices of Virginia Mennonite Board of Missions to teach English to Arabic-speaking children.

She eventually hopes to become a physician, perhaps focusing on endocrinology, and work in a Spanish-speaking community.

Cross-cultural study in Costa Rica will help with that. As will the volunteer work she did in the emergency department of Rockingham Memorial Hospital the past three years and language tutoring with migrants following the apple harvest near Harrisonburg.

In addition to that community service, Drooger spent one semester of study in the Middle East.

EMU pre-med majors must complete two credit hours of research experience to graduate. The options include an independent research project, such as Drooger and her colleagues completed, or a research course.

“A distinctive of the small liberal arts college experience for undergraduate science students is our ability to take students into our laboratories so that they can collaborate in a research experience with a professor,” says Miller.

He notes that EMU’s ratio of faculty to students involved in research is better than many other institutions, particularly large institutions, where students simply can’t get the kind of mentoring they do at a smaller college like EMU.

“This project was successful because Dr. Miller was always available to assist and encourage me along the way,” says Drooger.